How to Fix The Disk is Write Protected [6 Best Methods 2021]

Sometimes when people try to format SD Card or Pendrive, they get this error The Disk Is Write Protected. If you’re facing this issue, then just go through the article How to Fix The Disk is Write Protected to rid of this error.

How to Fix The Disk is Write Protected

We’ll go through all formatting and other methods to fix this error. But before going on the fixing methods, first, make sure that the Write Protection switch on the SD Card is not enabled because nowadays most SD Card comes with Dedicated Write Protection Switch.

So make sure that this is not the reason behind this error. And it’s not the issue, then you can start fixing your SD Card or Pendrive with the first methods.

1. Remove Write Protection From Command Prompt

So to remove write protection from CMD:

1. Search for CMD from Windows Search bar
2. Open it with Administrator Access
3. Type diskpart hit Enter
4. Then type list disk and hit Enter
5. Select write-protected disk by typing select disk 1 (Whatever your disk number is)
6. Then type attributes disk clear readonly and press Enter

👉 Also Read: How to Fix Windows Was Unable to Complete the Format

Right after doing this just Plug out Pendrive and plugin again and check whether write protection got disabled or not.

2. Remove Write Protection by Deleting Partition

1. Download and Install MiniTool Partition Wizard
2. After launching MiniTool, you’ll see your drives as Disk 1 and Disk 2. Disk 1 would be the internal storage and another one is your write-protected drive.
3. So Right-click on disk 2 at the left end(Shown in Image)
4. Click on Delete All Partitions and then click Ok
5. Now click on Apply button in the bottom left corner and then confirm with Yes to delete the partition.
6. After deleting the partition, close MiniTool and refresh the computer
7. Then plug out and in your Pendrive again and
8. Search for Create and Format Hard Disk Partition from the window search bar. There you’ll see your Pendrive as unallocated
9. To allocate it, right-click on the drive
10. Click on Format
11. Leave everything default and click on OK

After that, formatting will start, and write protection will be removed from your Pendrive.

3. Remove Write Protection using Registry Editor

To remove write protection from the registry:

1. Press Windows key and R key
2. Type regedit in the popup box and hit Enter
3. Now in the top left corner, expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
4. Then expand SYSTEM
5. Now expand CurrentControlSet
6. Expand Control
7. Now scroll until you find StorageDevicePolicies and click on it
8. Now on the right side, there will be an option WriteProtect, just double-click on it
9. Then in the Value Data box, put 0 (Zero) and
10. Click on OK

NOTE: In case, theirs is no StorageDevicePolicies, then You’ll have to create it

How to Create StorageDevicePolicies Key?

So to create it, click on Control

1. Then right-click on it and click on Key
2. Now name the key as StorageDevicePolicy (without space)
3. After creating the key, now right-click on the right side
4. Click on New and select DWORD-32bit and a file will be created
5. Name that file as WriteProtect
6. Double click on it and make its value 0 (Zero)
7. Click on OK and Restart PC

After restarting you’ll see that the error is completely fixed.

4. Use Fix The Disk is Write Protected Using Group Policy Editor

Removing write protection from Group Policy Editor is extremely simple, just follow the following steps to get it done.

1. Press Windows key and R key
2. Type gpedit.msc in the popup box and hit Enter
3. Now double-click on the Administrative template located on the top left corner
4. Then expand System
5. Scroll a bit and click on Removable Storage Access
6. Now on the right side, there’s an option called Removable Disks: Deny Write Access. Make sure its status is Not Configured or Disabled. You can do it manually as well by double-clicking on it and then selecting Disable and clicking on Apply then OK

If the error does not get fixed with all the above methods, then now we’ll try formatting methods. This will definitely be going to fix the issue. First I would recommend you Format the drive on a Low Level.

5. Format on Low Level to Fix Write Protection Error of Pendrive or SD Card

1. Launch HDD LLF Tool
2. Select your Pendrive from the list
3. Click on the Continue button located in the bottom right corner
4. Click on Low-Level Format Tab
5. Now just Check the Perform Quick Wipe and
6. Click on Format This Device
7. Then confirm with YES and that’s it, low level formatting will be started

After formatting on Low Level, you’ve to fully format the Pendrive or SD Card in order to fix Write Protection Error.

6. How to Format Pendrive or SD Card?

1. Launch MalvaStyle
2. Select Your Write Protected Drive from Drop Down
3. Now check Disable Write Protection box
4. Then to format the drive, Click on Diskpart
5. Confirm with YES and done. Now formatting will be started

After formatting with MalvaStyle, Write Protection will be removed from your Pendrive or SD Card

What to do if all the above methods fail to Remove Write Protection Error?

In case if all the methods get failed to fix the error, then you should leave the hope of fixing your Pendrive or SD Card. Actually, all the NAND devices like SD Card or Pendrive comes with a limit of Write or Erase and this limit ranges from 10K to 100k.

This means, you can Format your SD Card or Pendrive only 10000 times and when the limit reaches, the drive comes back to the Readonly state. So you can’t format it. That’s why I suggest you download branded SD cards or Pendrive because they have high Erase Limits.

So that’s it for today, I hope this would have fixed your Write Protection Error.